Greg (foreground) and Joe rallying in the Thing.
1. Sunrise?Not sure if all y'all knew this, but the sun does in fact touch the horizon twice a day from nearly any given vantage point on our wounded planet (except close to the poles, of course). I remember the overwhelming feeling of surprise when I found out there was a five in the morning, too. For years, I thought it was only an afternoon event.
The sunrise, as it pertains to Island Pond, is a completely different experience to one you've encountered in all your years prior. On Friday, you'll remember the party ramping up, the raging bonfire and the hoots n' hollers tirelessly emanating from the flip cup exhibition table, and then, all the sudden, it 'dawns' on you that where there was nothing but Milky Way and galactic nebulae from horizon to horizon, there is a nary detectable glow, accentuated only by the tall conifers to the east. You'll try to ignore it, maybe after pointing out that you've seen the pending dawn to the few still standing, but you can't take your eyes off this ever-changing dither of light to night.
Soon, you'll be faced with a decision. Party onward into the emerging day, or pack it in before the tendrils of sunshine find your cheeks, which will be numb from a night of laughter (and libations). Most people trade one sunrise for the other. Seeing both Saturday and Sunday is a feat that I'm just not up for, well except for last year...
I recommend taunting dawn until you can no longer see the brightest of stars (or planets), and then
getting some zzzz's for a few hours. Saturday will bring plenty of opportunity to chill out, cat nap in the hammock or tall grass...
2. The beach on Saturday?...or the beach on Saturday! (perfect segue, Jim...).
I grew up on a giant sand bar called Cape Cod, so obviously the beach is a place near & dear to my heart. Island pond is cold, but refreshing should the temps be uncharacteristically warm.
A little story: two (I think) years ago, Joe and I were playing frisbee on the beach. Somebody came down to the beach and asked a stranger where our group might be I guess. They pointed towards all of us down at the far end of the beach, and said "over around where those two guys in white tee-shirts are playing frisbee".
When whomever it was reached us, he realized that no, we weren't wearing tee-shirts, but just had the textbook example of farmers' tan! Look for that again this year.
3. Hot tub?Refer to my comment in the hot tub cleanliness post a few days back for more information, but to sum it up, I harbor an affinity of respect and contempt for the IP Hot Tub. You see, the Hot Tub, as an entity is a wonderful thing. A home-made hot tub which happens to be wood-fired and plumbed by way of something that would make
MacGyver's chin quiver with jealousy and wanton desire, is worthy of praise and first person experience. I think it's a fabulous way to tick a few of the wee hours away, under a blanket of stars and by the light of a few scattered tiki torches. Great conversation happens here, and for those less modest, to get away from the confines of clothing. (if you prefer to keep cover, nobody will hold it, or anything else, against you). It's a 105 or so degree meeting place, with the sounds of games in the barn just down the hill, a fixture of any Vermont landscape with light poking through the knot holes and cracks in the planks. My contempt only comes from having hot tub water mix with beer, and its net affect on me the next day, although there may have been other contributing factors. (refer aforementioned comment) See you there!
4. On tenting... antics and best practices?I think that pitching a tent is one of my favorite activities - I really started to enjoy it around the age of oh, 12 or 13 or so, and I'd routinely pitch one, be it in the back yard or elsewhere, for years to come.
When erecting ones tent, choose a spot that isn't too wet, and I definitely recommend over near the bushes, as the shadows are longer, and deeper, there. Also, make it your mission to get busy before the evening presses on, and you're invariably wearing a thick set of beer goggles, which might impair your ability to get it up. Use caution when inserting the pole into the sleeve, because a tear could cause a leak, as that would be a damn shame, and cause you to be under someone else's erected tent, or worse, alone in the car with a stiff neck the next day. You might want to bring an extra tent, just in case.
5. Favorite memory and parting wisdom.Not sure about the 'wisdom' thing, never have been much for it. Memories? Oh man, where to start! It didn't take too much in the way of convincing to commit to my first IPRR, in 2005. I didn't realize though that the decision to be a part of this would turn into a yearly pilgrimage, rite of passage, and what I've coined as "My New Years Eve". Yes, this Gregorian's Calendar rolls over on whatever weekend the IPRR and party happen to be. Having spent about 4.5 years living in the
Northeast Kingdom as a college student at
Lyndon State College, the area is very dear to me, and there's nothing quite like summer in Vermont. Add to the mix the finest collective of folks known to assemble, amazing scenery, a blue-karmic vibe that won't quit and well, you get the idea. As Jim said, please don't hesitate to check out my previous years'
photo galleries on Flickr - I think you'll find that is the best way to express the splendor that is the Pond Party.
